JPH05124722A - Adjusting device for supplying long and narrow fruit/ vegetable to bucket conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a supply adjusting device for long and narrow fruit/ vegetable, with which sorting of them by different grades can be conducted properly, labors for operations are saved, and the efficiency is enhanced. CONSTITUTION:The tightened condition of an interlocking chain 31 set over sprockets of a bucket conveyor 3 and a roller conveyor 24 is adjusted by turning a handle 43 of a supply adjusting device 36 so as to be in coordination with the timing at which cucumbers K placed between receptacle rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 are transferred to buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3. The transfer of the cucumbers K can thus be conducted certainly one by one, which eliminates labors of correcting the cucumber placing interval and the number of pieces placed at the time of transferring to ensure that judgement of the grade of cucumbers K placed in each bucket 3a and associate sorting operation are performed certainly one by one.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the supply of long fruits and vegetables to a bucket conveyor used for boxing long fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, carrot, potato, and eggplant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when cucumbers such as those mentioned above are sorted according to their grades, for example, as shown in FIG.
Of the cucumbers K placed on the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 are sequentially read by the grade determination device 4 arranged on the same transport path, and the grade determination device 4 is read on each of the buckets 3a. There is a method of classifying each cucumber K ... Mounted on each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 based on the grade determination according to 4.

[0003]

However, when transferring the cucumber K having a long shape as described above to each of the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3, a large amount of the cucumber K brought in from the producer side is placed in a sideways posture. Conveyor for alignment and alignment 2
., The front and rear intervals of the cucumbers K placed on the alignment conveyor 2 are narrower than the intervals between the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3, and the cucumber K supplied from the alignment conveyor 2 and the buckets The transfer timing with each bucket 3a of the conveyor 3 is likely to deviate, and it is difficult to accurately transfer the cucumber K to each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3, and the transfer waits at the time of transfer. There is a problem that the operator has to manually correct the placement interval and the number of the cucumbers K to be placed, which necessitates manual intervention. In addition, each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3
When reading the cucumber K placed on ... with the grade determination device 4,
If part of the cucumber K is protruding from the bucket 3a or if the cucumber K is placed between the buckets 3a and 3a, the grade data stored in the grade determination device 4 and the read data are read. There is a problem in that the cucumber K does not match the data and the cucumber K may be erroneously determined as an out-of-grade product, and high reliability cannot be obtained.

In view of the above problems, the present invention operates the speed adjusting means to variably adjust the transfer timing when transferring long fruits and vegetables from the supply adjusting conveyor to the bucket conveyor, so that An object of the present invention is to provide a device for adjusting the supply of long fruits and vegetables to a bucket conveyor, which is capable of sequentially supplying long fruits and vegetables at predetermined intervals, and which is suitable for sorting processing by grade.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a supply adjustment for supplying long fruits and vegetables at predetermined intervals to the bucket conveyor before a bucket conveyor for horizontally placing and conveying long fruits and vegetables. With a conveyor for
It is characterized in that it is an apparatus for adjusting the supply of long fruits and vegetables to a bucket conveyor, in which the bucket conveyor and the supply adjusting conveyor are interlockingly connected via a speed adjusting means.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a bucket conveyor for operating long speed fruits and vegetables by placing them in a horizontal position by means of operating the speed adjusting means, and for adjusting the supply for supplying long fruits and vegetables at a predetermined interval to the bucket conveyor. The transfer timing with respect to the conveyor is variably adjusted, and the long fruits and vegetables conveyed by the supply adjusting conveyor are sequentially supplied to the bucket conveyor at predetermined intervals.

[0007]

According to the present invention, since the transfer timing of transferring the long fruits and vegetables conveyed by the supply adjusting conveyor to the bucket conveyor is variably adjusted, the length of the fruit conveyed by the supply adjusting conveyor is adjusted. The fruits and vegetables can be sequentially supplied to the bucket conveyor at predetermined intervals, eliminating the need to adjust the placement interval and the number of long fruits and vegetables at the time of transfer, and the peculiar shape of cucumber, carrot, etc. The transfer work of long fruits and vegetables having a can be performed mechanically. Moreover,
Since the front and rear intervals of the long fruits and vegetables placed on the bucket conveyor are always constant, the grade determination and sorting process of the long fruits and vegetables placed on the bucket conveyor can be performed accurately.
Labor saving and efficiency improvement of sorting work can be achieved.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawing shows a cartoning device used for cartoning a cucumber of a grade with a large sorting amount as an example of long fruits and vegetables. In FIG. For arranging and transporting in a horizontal example, four bucket conveyors 3 for sorting cucumber K supplied from the same conveyor 2 for each grade, and each bucket for these bucket conveyors 3 ... 3a ... A grade determination device 4 for determining the grade of the cucumber K placed on it, and the cucumbers K sorted according to the grade are aligned in a vertical line and sequentially transferred onto the corrugated sheet Sa supplied to the loading position. A corrugated conveyor 5, a sheet molding machine 6 that presses and rolls a rolled paper sheet Sa into a corrugated shape and sequentially feeds it to a loading position, and an upper surface side of the corrugated sheet Sa. A film packaging machine 7 which covers the synthetic resin-made film F, the sheet Sa to be continuously supplied
A sheet cutting machine 8 for cutting a box into a box size, a perforation forming machine 9 for forming perforations on a corrugated sheet S cut into a box size, and a corrugated sheet S for a predetermined number of boxes made of cardboard or synthetic resin. It is composed of a sheet cartoning machine 10 for cartoning inside the body B.

The above-mentioned aligning conveyor 2 includes a first conveyer 2a and a second conveyer 2 which constitute the aligning conveyer 2.
b and the third conveyor 2c are sequentially arranged in the carrying direction, and the carrying speeds of the respective conveyors 2a, 2b, 2c are sequentially increased, and a large amount of cucumber K brought in from the producer side is sequentially separated in the carrying direction. Meanwhile, they are aligned in a horizontal row and transported. That is, the cucumber K is loaded into the container C brought in from the producer side in the same direction, and each container C is received at the time of receiving the cargo.
Is rolled over artificially or mechanically in sequence, and a large amount of cucumber K loaded in each of these containers C is transferred to the first conveyor 2a.
The cucumbers K are sequentially transferred to the second conveyor 2b and the third conveyor 2c, and the overlapping cucumbers K are sequentially arranged in a horizontal row while being spaced apart from each other in the conveying direction to a position corresponding to each of the four bucket conveyors 3 ... The sheets are aligned and conveyed and transferred to the roller conveyors 24, which are obliquely provided at the positions corresponding to the bucket conveyors 3 ...

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the above-mentioned roller conveyor 24 is located below the transfer-side end of the third conveyor 2c constituting the above-mentioned alignment conveyor 2 and the transfer-side start end of the bucket conveyor 3 described later. Encircling the orbiting chain 26 between the sprockets 25 and 25 bearing on the upper side of the part,
A large number of hourglass-shaped receiving rollers 27, which are provided on the outer peripheral surface of a synthetic rubber or the like, are axially supported at regular intervals in the circumferential direction between the orbiting chains 26, 26 stretched right and left.

Further, a sprocket 28 is fixed to the shaft end of a sprocket 25 bearing on the conveying side end of the roller conveyor 24, and is attached to the shaft end of a sprocket 30 bearing on the conveying side start end of the bucket conveyor 3 described later. By fixing the sprocket 29 and stretching the interlocking chain 31 between these sprockets 28, 29, the driving force of the bucket conveyor 3 is transmitted to the roller conveyor 24, and the roller conveyor 24 is rotationally driven in a predetermined conveying direction. .. Also,
The above-mentioned sprockets 28 and 29 are used for the bucket conveyor 3
The mutual numbers of teeth are set so that the conveyance speeds of the roller conveyor 24 and the roller conveyor 24 are the same. However, it is necessary to synchronize the drop timing of dropping the cucumber K from between the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 and the transfer timing of transferring the cucumber to the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3, which will be described later. The transfer adjusting device 36 adjusts the transfer timing. Then, the roller conveyor 24 is rotated in synchronization with the conveyance speed of the bucket conveyor 3 by the driving force of a drive motor (not shown) with a speed reducer, and the above-mentioned alignment conveyor 2
, And the cucumber K transferred between the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 is transferred one by one to each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 described later.

At the transport-side end portions of the roller conveyors 24, bearing rotary brushes 32, respectively, facing the transport-side end portions of the roller conveyors 24, ...
The sprocket 34 is fixed to the shaft end portion of 2, and the sprocket 33 is fixed to the shaft end portion of the sprocket 25 which is borne at the conveyance-side end portion of the roller conveyor 24 described later, and the interlocking chain 35 is stretched between these sprocket wheels 33 and 34. Hang on,
The rotary brush 32 is rotated in synchronization with the conveyance speed of the roller conveyor 24, and each receiving roller 2 of the roller conveyor 24 is rotated.
It stabilizes the fall of the cucumber K transferred from 7a to the respective buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned bucket conveyor 3 is an L-shaped bucket 3 in which synthetic rubber or the like is laid on the upper surface side between the circulating chains 3b and 3b stretched from side to side.
a is pivotally supported so as to be swingable back and forth, and these orbiting chains 3
b, 3b, a plurality of buckets 3a ...
Are erected at predetermined equal intervals, and the support rods 3c are horizontally projected from one end of each of the buckets 3a.
It engages on the traveling rail 11 installed on the lower part of the same side to horizontally guide the orbiting posture. That is, the orbiting chains 3b, 3b are synchronously rotated by the driving force of a motor with a reducer (not shown), and each of the plurality of buckets 3a ... The cucumber K, which is conveyed in a horizontal row from the three conveyors 2c,
One is transferred to each of the buckets 3a ... Returning to the transport-side starting end of the bucket conveyor 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the supply adjusting device 36 pivotally supports the swing arm 37 at one side of the interlocking chain 31 stretched between the sprockets 28 and 29. The idler gear 38 is pivotally supported at the lower end of the swing arm 37, and the coil spring 3 is provided at the upper end of the swing arm 37.
9 is locked, and the coil spring 39 rotates and biases the interlocking chain 31 stretched between the sprockets 28 and 29 in a direction in which the idle gear 38 is engaged. Moreover, the swing arm 40 is rotatably supported at the other side position of the interlocking chain 31 stretched between the aforementioned sprockets 28 and 29,
A free-moving gear 41 is pivotally supported on the lower end of the swing arm 40, and a regulating member 40a fixed to the upper end of the swing arm 40
The adjustment bolt 42 screwed into the mounting portion 44 at the same position is vertically abutted, and the sprocket 2 is attached by the adjustment bolt 42.
The interlocking chain 31 stretched between 8 and 29 is regulated to rotate at a position where the idle gear 41 is engaged.

That is, the idler gear 41 is pressed against the interlocking chain 31 to be inserted between the sprockets 28 and 29 (corresponding to the operation of increasing the tension of the interlocking chain 31).
2, the right side of the interlocking chain 31 in FIG. 2 is pulled in the tension direction, and the sprocket 29 is on the output side. Therefore, when the sprocket 29 side is in the fixed equivalent state, the sprocket 28 side is in the movement equivalent state and the sprocket 28 Is in a state equivalent to the counterclockwise rotation in FIG.
Therefore, for the bucket 3a in the fixed equivalent state,
The falling timing of the cucumber K falling from each of the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 is adjusted to be delayed accordingly.

When the idler gear 41 is pulled from the interlocking chain 31 and moved in the direction of withdrawing between the sprockets 28 and 29 (corresponding to the operation of lowering the tension of the interlocking chain 31), the interlocking chain 31 shown in FIG. The middle right side is pulled back in the loosening direction, and when the sprocket 29 side is in the fixed equivalent state, the sprocket 28 side is in the moving equivalent state. Moreover, when the right side in FIG. 2 of the interlocking chain 31 is loosened, the biasing force of the coil spring 39 causes 2, the idler gear 38 is pressed against the left side of the interlocking chain 31 in FIG. 2, and the left side of the interlocking chain 31 in FIG. 2 is pulled, so that the sprocket 28 described above is in an equivalent state of clockwise rotation in FIG. Therefore, the fall timing of the cucumber K falling from between the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 with respect to the bucket 3a in the fixed equivalent state is adjusted to a state advanced by that much.

As a result, when the supply adjusting device 36 raises the tension on the right side of the interlocking chain 31 in FIG. 2, the transfer timing of the cucumber K is delayed, and the tension on the right side of the interlocking chain 31 in the right side of FIG. 2 is lowered. Then, the transfer timing of the cucumber K becomes faster, so if the adjusting handle 43 connected and fixed to the upper end of the adjusting bolt 42 is turned and the idler gear 41 is operated as described above, the bucket conveyor 3 is moved. It is possible to variably adjust the transfer timing of the cucumber K for each bucket 3a.

The grade determining device 4 sets a reading position for reading the grade of cucumber K on the front end side conveying path of the bucket conveyor 3 and faces the upper surface side of the bucket 3a above the reading position. A reading sensor 4a is provided. That is, each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3
The scale of each cucumber K placed on the reading sensor 4a is read by the reading sensor 4a, and the read data output from the reading sensor 4a is compared with the grade data stored in the class determining device 4, and the bucket conveyor 3 is read. The cucumber K placed on each bucket 3a ... of any of the grade data (for example, L, M,
S) is determined, and based on the grade determination, each cucumber K ... Mounted on each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 is sorted by grade.

Further, on the rear end side conveying path of the bucket conveyor 3, for example, each grade-based sorting section a for sorting the cucumber K according to the grade of L, M, S is set, respectively, and each grade-based sorting is carried out. The T-shaped guide rods 17 are respectively installed on the respective separated end portions 11a of the traveling rail 11 corresponding to the portions a ..., and the solenoids 18 ...
Are connected to respective base ends of the buckets 3a, and each solenoid 18 is operated based on the grade determination by the grade determination device 4 to horizontally guide the support rod 3c protruding from one end of the bucket 3a. It moves back and forth between the forward position and the retracted position where the support rod 3c protruding from the bucket 3a is dropped.

In the above-mentioned corrugated conveyor 5, the corrugated conveyor 5 is arranged at a lower position corresponding to the above-mentioned graded sorting section a, orthogonal to the conveying direction of the bucket conveyor 3, and the conveying surface length of the corrugated conveyor 5 is set. The plurality of concave transport surfaces 5a on which the cucumbers K are placed in a vertical direction are formed, and the cucumber K dropped and supplied from each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 is transported to each concave transport surface 5a of the corrugated conveyor 5. … Sequentially transferred on top and aligned and conveyed in a single vertical line.

Further, two feed rollers 19, 20 are borne in close proximity to the conveyance-side end portion of the corrugated conveyor 5, and the feeding side of the feed rollers 19, 20 is orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the corrugated conveyor 5. The feeding conveyor 21 is provided, and the stopper 22 is provided on the side of the loading position set on the feeding conveyor 21 so as to face the feeding direction of the feeding rollers 19 and 20.
Is erected.

On the conveying path of the above-mentioned feeding conveyor 21, a concave shape for placing one cucumber K in the width direction in the length direction on the upper surface side of the sheet Sa wound in a roll shape. A sheet forming machine 6 that press-forms the mounting portions Sb at predetermined equal intervals, and a film packaging machine 7 that joins the synthetic resin film F wound into a roll shape in the longitudinal direction of the upper surface side of the sheet Sa. And a sheet cutting machine 8 that cuts the packaged sheet Sa into a length corresponding to the boxed size, and of the conveyor 23 for conveyance which is arranged orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 21 for feeding. On the transport path, a perforation forming machine 9 that forms perforations in the width direction of the upper surface of the corrugated sheet S cut into a box size, and one corrugated sheet S is suction-held by a suction unit 10a and made of cardboard. Or inside the box B made of synthetic resin Are disposed and a seat packer 10 to a predetermined number packed.

The illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, and the operation of the cartoning device 1 for cartoning the cucumber K of a grade with a large sorting amount will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the containers C brought in by the producer are successively overturned, and a large amount of cucumbers K loaded into the containers C.
Are transferred onto the aligning conveyor 2, and the cucumber K is sequentially transferred onto the first conveyor 2a, the second conveyor 2b, and the third conveyor 2c which form the aligning conveyor 2, and the overlapping cucumber K While being sequentially separated in the transport direction, they are aligned in a horizontal row and aligned and transported to a position corresponding to each of the four bucket conveyors 3. At the same time, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the four bucket conveyors 3, ...
The cucumbers K, which are conveyed in a horizontal row from the conveyor 2c, are sequentially transferred one by one between the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyors 24 ...
The cucumbers K transferred between the receiving rollers 27 of ... are sequentially conveyed while being separated from the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyors 3 ... Are transferred to each of the buckets 3a ...

Next, each bucket 3 of the bucket conveyor 3
When the transfer timing of the cucumber K with respect to a is variably adjusted, the adjustment handle 43 of the supply adjusting device 36 is rotated to adjust the adjustment bolt 42 connected and fixed to the adjustment handle 43.
The regulating member 40a fixed to the upper end of the swing arm 40
Is moved up and down to rotate the swing arm 40 in the direction in which the idler gear 41 moves in and out of the interlocking chain 31 stretched between the sprockets 28 and 29, whereby the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 ... The transfer timing when transferring the cucumber K placed between them to each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 is variably adjusted.

Next, when passing through the grade judging device 4 arranged on the bucket conveyor 3, the reading sensors 4a read the grades of the cucumbers K placed on the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3, respectively. , The cucumber K placed on each bucket 3a ... Based on the grade determination by the equivalent grade determination device 4.
Are sorted according to grade. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, based on the grade judgment by the grade judging device 4, the solenoids 18 arranged in the grade sorting section a are operated, and the buckets 3a on which the cucumber K of the same grade is placed are graded. The cucumbers K, which are sequentially rolled over on the corrugated conveyor 5 disposed in the separate sorting section a, are supplied from the respective buckets 3a ... And are sequentially transferred onto the concave transport surfaces 5a of the corrugated conveyor 5 and aligned and transported. To do.

At the same time, the sheet forming machine 6 is driven to sequentially supply the respective concave mounting portions Sb ... to the rolled-up sheet Sa at the loading position while pressure-forming, and the sheet is supplied from the corrugated conveyor 5. The cucumber K is accelerated and conveyed by the feed rollers 19 and 20, and the cucumber K is sequentially dropped and thrown toward the concave mounting portions Sb ... Of the sheets Sa supplied to the same loading position.
Moreover, the cucumber K that has not been stored in the concave mounting portions Sb ... Of the sheet Sa is manually corrected by an operator standing by at the same position.

Next, the film wrapping machine 7 is driven, and the synthetic resin film F wound into a roll is fed into the sheet S.
The sheet cutting machine 8 is joined to the upper side of the sheet a in the longitudinal direction.
Is driven to sequentially cut the long-sized sheet Sa into a length corresponding to the boxed size. Next, the conveyor 23 for conveyance
The perforation forming machine 9 arranged in the upper stage of the upper conveyance path is driven to form perforations in the width direction on the upper surface side of the corrugated sheet S conveyed in the lower part of the machine, and the sheet box packing machine 10 arranged in the latter stage of the machine. Is driven to suck and hold the corrugated sheets S at the lower part of the machine by the suction unit 10a and to pack the predetermined number of sheets in the box B. In addition, the cucumber K of a grade with a small sorting amount is manually boxed. After this, a predetermined number of corrugated sheets S
The box B packed in the box is sealed by an automatic boxing machine (not shown) and shipped.

As described above, the transfer timing when transferring the cucumber K placed between the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 to the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 is variably adjusted. The cucumber K placed between the receiving rollers 27 of the roller conveyor 24 can be sequentially supplied to the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 one by one, and the placement intervals of the cucumber K during transfer can be increased. Also, it is possible to save the trouble of correcting the number of placed cucumbers and mechanically transfer the cucumber K having a long shape. Moreover, bucket conveyor 3
In order to transfer one cucumber K to each bucket 3a of
The front and rear intervals of the cucumbers K placed on the buckets 3a are always constant, and the grade determination and the sorting process of the cucumbers K placed on the buckets 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 are performed one by one. This can be done accurately, and the labor of sorting work can be saved and the efficiency can be improved.

In the correspondence between the constitution of the present invention and the above-mentioned embodiment, the long fruits and vegetables of the present invention correspond to the cucumber K of the embodiment, and hereinafter, the supply adjusting conveyer is the roller conveyer 24 and the receiving conveyer. Corresponding to the roller 27, the speed adjusting means is a swing arm 37, 40 that constitutes a supply adjusting device 36.
And the idler gears 38 and 41, the coil sprinkle 39,
Although it corresponds to the adjusting bolt 42 and the adjusting handle 43, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

As a conveying means in place of the roller conveyor 5 used in the above-mentioned embodiment, for example, a front and rear interval for placing one cucumber K in a horizontal position on the conveying surface of a belt conveyor (not shown). Separation plate (not shown)
Corresponding to each bucket 3a of the bucket conveyor 3 by arranging a plurality of them or forming a plurality of concave mounting parts (not shown) of a size for mounting one cucumber K in a horizontal position Cucumber K may also be transported at regular intervals.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a boxing device for boxing cucumbers.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a supply adjusting device that adjusts the supply speed of a roller conveyor.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a roller conveyor showing a cucumber supply operation.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged plan view of a bucket conveyor showing a cucumber sorting operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 K ... Cucumber 1 ... Box packing device 2 ... Aligning conveyor 3 ... Bucket conveyor 3a ... Bucket 24 ... Roller conveyor 27 ... Receiving roller 36 ... Supply adjusting device 37, 40 ... Swing arm 38, 41 ... Idling gear 43 ... Adjusting handle

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Takamichi Shimomura, 1-32, Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Yanmar Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd. (72) Toru Ishii 66, Takaoka-cho, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime Prefecture Ishii Industrial Co. In the company

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A supply adjusting conveyor for supplying long fruits and vegetables at predetermined intervals to the bucket conveyor in front of a bucket conveyor for horizontally placing and conveying long fruits and vegetables, A device for adjusting the supply of long fruits and vegetables to a bucket conveyor, in which the bucket conveyor and the supply adjusting conveyor are interlockingly connected via a speed adjusting means.